Can-testing machine.



C. B. McDONALD.

CAN TESTING MACHINE.

AYPLIOATION FILED mm: 1. 190a.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C. B. McDONALD.

CA-N TESTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 2908. 938, 1 65.- VPatented Oct. 26, 1909.

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Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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7 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1908. 93s,1 5,

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

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c. B. MoDONALD.

CAN TESTING MACHINE.

LPPLIOATIOI FILED JUIE l, 1908.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

I i I I 1 A r55 72/ O g r52 I w 127 72a UIQtTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. McDONALD. OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MCDONALD MACHINECOMPANY, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS. A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CAN-TESTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patcntcd Oct. 26, 1909.

Application filed June 1, 1908. Serial No. 436.009.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ()tuauzs B. MoI)ox-- Am). a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCan-Testing Machines, of which the following is a specificanon. v

The machine of the present invention is intended to test cans for thediscovery titerin of leaks; and the object of the invention is to soconstruct the machine that it will be extremely compact in form and atthe suite time possess very high capacity and extieni'e' perfection indetecting leaks of even the minutest character. The machine is intendedto perform the testing pneumatimlly, without the necessity for numeronof the cans in a water tank and to deliver the perfect cans at theintended point and throw out imperfect cans at a different point, sothatafter the cans are passed through the machine all of the nnperfectcans will be thrown out and eliminated.

The invention relates more particularly to the means provided forautomatically clampin; aisd nnclamping the cans, to the pressuieactuated mechanism for detecting imperfect cans by a decrease of thepressure admitted thereto, to the lever mechanism provided formagnifying the movement of the pneumatic diaphragm lnorder to detect theleaks of minute charactcr, to the trip and can mechanism for throwingout leaky cans, to the huh mechanism for distributing pres ure to thevarious sealing heads, and to the mwhanism actuated by the d tectingmechanism for dropping leaky cans at. the point of discharge. Themachine is so coustntcted that the cans will remain antler pres ure fora sullicient length of time to insun: the detection of extremely smallleaks; and the detecting mechanism is so arranged that a minutedcllcction from normal conditions will be snllicicntly magnified toopcmtcthc trip mechanism whereby leaks of a flit-4: 11!- whicht'rcqucutly escape detection when n tcd under usual conditions will berlinziiuilnlby lhe machine of the present in- Tclz! d1.

Th invention consists in the features of in truction and combination ofparts hereiuaiilcrdn cribc l and claimed.

In thc drawing. Figurc l is a side clcvaim. o. tire-cm inmachine,showingseveral of the testing heads, the positions of the remaining heads beingindicated; Fig. 2 a view. partly in section. of the diaphragm and tripmechanism in position to throw out a defective can; Fig. 3 a similarview, showing the trip mechanism actuated by a normal pressure in aperfect can; Fig. 4 a view showing two of the sealing heads and a ortionof the rim of the wheel in section; ig. 5 a view partly in section,showing the bearing cone and pressure passages co-acting therewith; Fig.6 a detail of the valve ac tuating mechanism for maintaining theintended pressure within the cone; Fig. 7 a sectional detail of thesame; Fig. 8 a plan view of the discharge chute, showing the mechanismfor throwing out defective cans;

. Fig. 9 a sectional elevation of the same in position to deliver aperfectcan; Fig. 10 a similar view showing the parts in position todischarge an imperfect can; Fig. 11 a detail of the lever mechanism foractuating the chute mechanism; Fig. 12 a sectional view taken on line 1212 of Fig. 8; Fig. 13 a sectional view taken on line 1313 of Fig. 8;Fig. H a detail partly in section, showing the rock shaftand lever ofFig. 11; Fig. 15 a sectional view of a modified form of air distributingchamber in the bearing of the wheel: Fig. 1G a side elevation 'of amodified form of sealing head adapted for use in conncctiom with thebearing mechanism of Fig. 15: Fig. 17 a detail partly in section of thesame, showing the trip mechanism actuated by normal pressure in aperfect can; Fig. lb a sectional detail of the pressure controllingvalve of Fig. 16 open; and Fig. 19 a similar vicw showing the valveclosed.

Referring to Fig. 1, the machine as a whole is in the form of a wheel 20having a rim it connected by spokes 22 with a hub 9.3. The hub is keyedor otherwise secured to a shaft 2i having on its cnd a gear wheel .25meshing with a union 26 which is located upon a stub sha t 27. The stubshaft carries a gear wheel 28 which meshes with a pinion. not shown. ona power shaft 2!) actnalml by means of a pulley 310 through the mediumof a clutch Ill. The main shaft ill is journalcd within a bearing blockI12. thc inncr end of which is in the form of a truncatcd cone and theforward cud of which terminates in a slccvc 3! ol rcduccd diann-tcr.'lhe tapered or cone-shaped portion of the bearing block is surroundedby a collar "the diaphragm overlies an air port 56 which which is boltedor otherwise secured to a flange 3-3 outwardly projecting from the hub2-? so that the collar revolves with the huh I around the cone-shapedportion of the bear ing' block as a hearing. The collar is held incl0.-'e engagement with the cone by means of a ring nut 31' which iscrcwcd onto the body of the bearing block, and is provided at suitableintervals with counterbored re- (txflls 38 having therein springs 39which serve to compress a washer 40 which bears against the collar 35and holds the same in close engagement with the surface of the cone,meanwhile allowing the ring to revolve with the hub of the wheel. The-bearing block has bored therein a main air pas agc 41 which connects atits outer end with an air supply passage 42, and the main air supplypassagc has leading therefrom two air orts 13, one of which is shown indotted incs, which ports are arranged in diagonal relation to one r, oneof the ports being located forwardly of the other. The air i ports 4 areadapted to regi ter with air passages 4- bored in the collar 35, whichair passages are arranged in two rings and p0. itioned to register withthe inm-r and outer ports 13, so that as the collar is revolved the airpassages therein will be momentarily brought into register with thesupply ports for receiving a charge of comprcs cd air therefrom, itbeing understood that a separate air passage is provided for each of theheads on the tester. The heads. in the preferred form shown in Figs. :2and 3, are intended to admit a predetermined degree of pressure to eachof the cans ted to the ma- Lllll'l.t' and operate in connection withclampin means for hoid' the cans in position.

tel'cri ing to l"i-,- 2, 3, and l,'cach of the heads 'Ulilpl'lHi a framel5 provided. on one side. with a cylindrical bos it which is enteredliil'ieltfl'll a hole t? in the rim of the wheel. and the boss isprovided, on its l'orward fa with an inwardly beveled head which iadapted to receive a rubber Sl.ll log ilrh' 35 against which the openend of the can is intended to be clamped. The Fram is further provided.on its opposite .-idc. with a cylindrical bore which receives a plug 51chambered out on its inner face 5;: to provide a diaphragm chamberwithin which is located a tlexihle diaphragm 5-; l 'l"k('\l by a piston54 having a stcnr55 which outwardly projects from the plug 51.

communicates with a passage 57 opening through the face of the head 48and into the open mouth of the can. The passage 57 is in opencommunication with a passage 58 into which is entered a pipe 59connected :with a rubber hose (it), which hose, at its, inner end,connects with a pipe. 61 entered 1 into the collar and in communication'with one of the ports therein. Itwill thus appear that air admittedthrough the collar will simultaneously enter the 0 en mouth of the canand act against; the exible diaphragm, as shown in Fig. 3.

The frame further comprises a sleeve 62 in parallel relation with andoutside of the chambered plug 51, which sleeve has entered therethrougha trip rod (33 provided with an enlarged head 64, the rod being passedthrough a bracket (35 terminating, at its rear end, in

an olfset, arm 66 laterally adjacent the head 6!. The bracket is furtherprovided with ears (i7 between which is pivoted an L lever (38, theshort arm 69 of which rests against the end of the stem 55, and the longarm 70 of which is provided, near its outer end, with a notch 71 whichis adapted to engage the head (it when the L lever is thrown into theposition shown in Fig. 3. The lever is held in normal position by theaction of a spri g 7:2 which bears against the end of the lon arm and isadapted to be regulated by means of a thumb screw 73. \Vhen thediaphragm is raised by a normal pressure admitted to a perfect can, theL lever will be thrown into the position shown in Fig. 3, in whichposition "it will engage the head of the trip rod and hold the endthereof retracted. thermorc, a very slight movement of the piston stemwill be pro ortionately n1agnitied or exaggerated by t 19 constructionand arrang ment of the L lever, so that the movements of the pistonstem, which it would be practically impossible to detect, will hesutliciently magnified to actuate the. trip mechanism.

The sealing disk 49 coiiperates with a clamping head 74 which is carriedby an arm 75 slidahly mounted upon a rod 76 entered through a bushing 77on the rim of the wheel. and the rear end of the rod has pivotcd theretoa link 78 which in turn is pivoted to the hort arm 79 of a. clam inglever 90. the longarm of which is provi ed, on its free end. with aroller 81, the lever being pivoted to the frame by means of a pivot pin5:! located at the elbow of the lever. As shown in Fig. 4, the positionoccupied by the can is considerably in advance of the free eml of theclamping lever, the clamping mechanism forone can being pivoted to theframe containing the te-ting mechanism for the tlcXt succeeding can.Between the clampin; head 74 and the disk 42) is located a shelf 8 uponwhich the body of the can is adapted to rest. prior to themovement ofthe clampin head.

The cans are fed to the tester through a chute t adjacent which is ahovel cam under which th wheel Slis intended to ride, which moves theclamping lever from th position shown to the left of Fig. 4 to theposition shown to the right of said figore: and. in view of the factthat the clamping lever is positioned to the rear of the can Fur-.

acted upon. the clamping operation will nottake place until the can hasrolled lrom the OlillttS-lnntt) the shell' s; hctwcen the clamp- 3 ingmembers. lnnncdiatel) thereafter the movement of the wheel will hrin theair supply port in the collar 35 into position to phragm. When the canhas received a charge of compressed air the L lever (3s will i hethrowninto the position shown In llg. 1

and inma-dhitclv thereafter the projecting;

end of the trip rod 63 will ride against a cam 86 which inwardlyprojects; the trip rod into position to engage the notch in the L lever.Itwill, of course he understood that until a can is in position toreceive a charge of compressed air the trip rod will he dropped into theposition shown in Fig. :2, which is also the position occupied h v saidrod when the pressure is decreased by lcakage from an imperfect can. 7

in order to compensate for the pressure admitted into a can, a valve 87is provided comprising a casing 55 and a valve plu t). The plug isprovided with a horc 90 which, when closed, occupies the position shownin dotted lines. Pressure is admitted to the valve through a pipe 91 onone side of the casing, and supplied from the valve through the pipe 42.The valve plug is provided with a crank arm 92 which is connected with arod 9;} connecting with a rock shaft 94, which rock shatt extends intransverse relation outside of he periphery of the wheel: and isprovideo. near its end. with a finger which occupies a positionintermediate the clamping head and the scaling disk, so that every timea can is carried past the finger 93 the latter will he raised to rockthe shaft; 94 and actuate the, valve for the admission of pressure tocompensate for the pressure admitted to the can. \Vhen, however, anempty clamping head passes the linger the latter will not he actuated.

immediately below the feed chute 34 is a discharge chute 96, hostillustrated in Figs. 8, 9, and .0, which chute comprises side walls 97,intermediate which are located movahle track rails 98 in the formol rodswhich are connected with L-shaped hraclv'cts 99 depending from pivotedhell crank lcvcrs 100 on opposite sides of the chute. 'lhc hell cranklevers are adapted to he simultaneously actuated h v means of links it)!and ill). rcspcctivelv. The link 10L which is a short lllllt.t'llllllt"l? with a lever arm It)? carried h v a stuhrock shaft lfil.which shall l'urthcr carries an arm set in substantially parallelrelation with-the walls of the chute. which arm is cminecled with thelink H12 hr mcans-ot' a rod 106. so that a each of the testers.

movement of the rock shal't lfil will siinulfrom the positionsliown inFig. 9 to the position shown in Fig. 10, thereby retracting the guiderails tlb', so thatthe latter will allow a can discharged thereon todrop between said guide rails into any suitable receptacle provided fordiscarded cans. The hit k shaft ml is provided, on its end, with a triplinger ltJT provided with a notch 10b, which notch is protected h v apivoted guard 10!) whicn normally oc-upies the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 11, and is adapt ed t he. thrown int the position shown indotted lines again t the tension of a spring it) connected to anyconvenient portion of the frame. The .notched trip linger and guardplate extend in cdgcwise relation with respect to the rim of the wheeland occupy a position such that if the end of the trip rod he outwardlyprojected to indicate an imperfect, can said projecting end will 135$under the inner edge of the pivoted guard IOU and along the inner edgeof the trip linger, engaging the notch 108 in the latter and swingingthe trip linger outof its normal position: and this movement. of thetrip linger will throw the guide rails from the position occupied inFig. 9 into the position shown in Fig. lnfallowing the can dischargedfrom the wheel to fall through the chute and he discarded. i

In order to release the can. a cam 1L1 is provided at a suitableposition below the trip linger. over which cam the wheel on theclamping, lever is adapted to ride. so that when the cam is raised tothe mouth of the discharge chute it will he unclamped and roll oll theledge upon which it rests. If.

however, the can he perfect. the trip rod will I he held in retractedposition and its end willride over the inner face of the guard plate andthe trip linger and not under the inner edges thereof, so that the guiderails in the chute will remain in projected position to carry thedelivered can over the position of discharge for discards. i

In the lntulilications shown in Figs. 15 to It), inclusive. thecompressed air is admitted into the end of the main shaft. through anoutwardly divergentcone-shaped nipple 112 which is screwed into the endof the shaft and is surrolunled by a casing 113 into which the end of apressure supply pipe 114 is entcrcd. rin; It? is screwed onto the nippleand provided with counter-hur s 116 having located therein springs 117which hear against the inner edge of the casing: 113 to hold the wallsof the latter in close impingement against. the walls of the nipple. Apassage its is provided leading through tlunipple and the shaft andcommunitalting with a cylimlrical casing 119 which has enteredthcrcinto' supply pipes lQO, one for llach of the testcts coinprises acasing lift having entered therein a val\e I21! which is provided with astcm no lit) surrounded by a coil spring 124. The hose lzZOconnects witha section of pipe 1:25 which communicates with a passage 126 leadingthrough the valve casing. the inlet from which passage is controlled bythe 'alve 122. The casing is provided with an outlet pipe 127 whichconnnunicates with a passage 1:28 opening under a flexible diaphragm 129which is compressed by a piston 130 having' a stem 131 surrounded by acoil spring 13:2.

The stem of the piston projects through a plug 133 and engages the endof an L lever 13-1, which end is adapted to engage the head 135 of atrip rod 136 similar in arrangement and function to the trip rodpreviously described. The action of the modified form of tester issimilar to that previously described. except that each of the valves12:! will receive an inward thrust from a cam suitably positioned toactuate said valves innuetliately after the clamping of the cans, whichinward thrust will admit pressure through the pipe 127 to the diaphragmand to the can. the passages leading to the can being similafto thosepreviously described. The L lever 13% is actuated in the mannerpreviously described. except that the spring for holdin the dia )hrawm aainst n-essure is coiled around the stem of the piston instead ofbearing against the end ot the L levcr. In

-res| )ect to the method of clamping and (lischarging the cans and themethod of actuating the discharge chute to throw out disca rd themechanism is the same as that previously described.

The operation of the machine will be generally undcrstmxl from theforegoing dcscriptiou. but may be brietly summarized as follows: Thecans are rolled down the chute Sland each of the testers receives a canbetween the clamping head and [htscaling disk. which can rests upon theshelf provided therefor. Immediately after the can is positioned. theclamping head will be moved toard the scaling disk by the action of thecanr Slnndcr which the wheel 81 travels. The can being thus clamped inposition will receive its charge of compressed air. the pressure ofwhich will act against the diaphragm and throw the L lever into positionto engage the head of the tr p rod and hold it during the revolution ofthe wheel. iy reason of the size of the wheel and its relat vely slowspeed of revolution. the can thus tilled with compressed air will beclamped for a sullicicnt length of time to fully subject it to therequired test. lt' during any portion of the rcvolution of the whccl thepressure within the can and the pressure upon the diaphragm should bereduced by leakage. the action of the spring against the L lever wouldthrow back said lever and release the head of the trip rod. therebyallowing the latter to fall by gravity when it travel, so that the endof the rod would project. into position to engage the notched tripfinger and throw back the guide rails in the discharge chute. therebyallowing the leaky can to be discarded. ()n the other hand, if the canwere free from leaks, the pressure would be maintained at all pointsduring the travel of the can through the tester. so thatwhen dischargedthe can would roll over the gulue rails of the discharge chute. Q

In view of the fact that. as constructed, the movement of the pistonstem acting against the short arm of the L lever will be magnified 34times in the long arm of the lever. it is evident that an extremelyminut diminutim in the degree of )ressure acting against the diaphragmwill, e sufficient to release the head of the trip rod, so tha anshaving leaks so minute as to escape detection by ordinary testingmethods Mill be invariably thrown out by the machine of the presentinvention. The arrangement is one which provides extreme compactness andhigh capacity in view of the fact; that the narrow form of the machineis one which enables it to be located within a very small space andto beoperated by the expenditure of a small amount of power.

'hat I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p

1. In a'can testing machine, the combination of mechanism for clamping acan, mechanism adapted to be actuated by variations of pressure withinthe can, an L lever having its short arm in engagement with the pressureactuated means. trip mechanism adapted to be engaged by the long arm ofthe lever when the pressure wiihinthe can is normal and adapted to bereleased from, engagement whenthe pressure falls below normal, andmechanism adapted to be actuated by the trip mechanism for dischargingperfect and imperfect cans at selected points, substantially asdescribed. I

:3. In a can testing machine, the combination of clamping mechanism forholding the cans. and having a passage communicating ith the interior ofa clamped can. a piston adapted to be moved by the admission of lluidunder pressure to the can, a lever pivoted oll' center and having itsshort arm in cugagcnu-nt with said piston. a trip rod provided with ahead adapted to be engaged by the long arm of the lever when pressure ismaintained within the can and adapted to be. released from engagementwhen pressure is re luced within the can by leakage, the trip rod beingprojected when released and retracted when engaged. and means actuatedby the projecting end of the rod for discarding imperfect cans.substantially as described.

3. In a can testing machine. the combination of clamping mechanism forholding the reached a lower position in its orbit of cans, and having apassage communicating with the interior of a clamlipd can, a piston adated to be moved by t e admission of flui under pressure to the can, alever piv oted ofi' center and having its short arm in case ement withsaid iston, a trip rod provi with a head a a ted to be engaged by thelong arm of the liaver when pressure is maintained within the canand'adapted to be released from engagement when pressure is reducedwithin the can by leakage, the trip rod adapted to beprojected whenreleased and retracted when engaged, a cam for retractin the trip rod achute provided with means %or separating perfect and imperfect cans, andmechanism adapted to be engaged by the trip rod when projected foractuating said means. substantially as described.

4. In a can testing machine, the combination of clamping mechanism forholding the cans, and having a passage communicating with the interiorof a clamped can, a diaphragm adapted to -be moved by the admission offluid under pressure to the can, an L lever having its short arm inengagement with said piston, a trip rod provided with a head adapted tobe engaged by the long arm of the lever when pressure is maintainedwithin the can and a apted tobe released from engagement when pressureis reduced within the can from leakage, the trip rod being projectedwhen released and retracted when en aged, a discharge chute providedwith guide rails adaptedto deliver perfect cans and adapted to beretracted to drop imperfect cans, and mechanism adapted to be engaged bythe trip rod when projected for retractin the guide rails, substantiallyas described 5. In a can testing machine, the combination of a wheelprovided with a plurality of testers, each of the testers comprising aslidably mounted clamping head, a sealing head, a diaphragm closing apassage in communication with the sealing head. a iston engaging thediaphragm and provide with a stem, an L lever having its short arm inengagement with the stem, a slidably mounted trip rod provided with ahead adapted to be engaged by the long arm of the L lever when thrownfrom normal position by the action of pressure on the diaphragm, andadapted when released to allow the projection of the trip rod,.andmechanism actuated by the trlp rod, when projected, for deliveringimperfect cans at a.

predetermined point, substantially as described. U 6. In a can testingmachine, the combination of a wheel provided with a plurality oftesters, each of the testers comprising a slidably mounted clampinghead, a sealing head, a diaphragm closing a passage in communicationwith the sealing head, a pinton engaging the diaphragm and provided witha stem, an L lever having its short arm in engagement with the stem, aslidably mounted trip rod provided with a head adapted to be engaged bythe long arm of the L lever when thrown from normal position by theaction of pressure on the diaphragm, and adapted when released to allowthe projection of the trip rod, a chute provided with a runway fordelivering perfect cans, and mechanism actuated by the projection of thetrip rod for retracting said runway to allow the dropping of imperfectcans, substantially as described.

. 7. In a can testing machine, the combination of a wheel p:ovided witha plurality of sealing heads adapted to receive and pneumatically sealthe cans supplied thereto and provided with air passages for admittingcompressed air to the interior of the cans. means adapted to be movedupon decrease of pressure due.to leakage, trip mechanism actuated bysuch means, a discharge chute provided with runways adapted to delivercans of one class, and means actuated by the trip mechanism fordisplacing the runways to drop cans of anotherclass, substantially asdescribed.

8'. In a can testing .machine, a wheel provided with a plurality ofsealing heads adapted to receive and pneumatically seal the canssupplied thereto, and provided with air passages for admittingcompressed air to the interior of the sealed cans. mechanism actuated byvariations of the pressure in the cans, a trip rod in engagement withsaid pressure actuated mechanism and adapted to beheld retracted therebywhen the pressure mechanism is subjected to a given pressure, andadapted to be released therefrom and moved to projecting position whenthe pressure mechanism is subjected to a diti'erent pressure, adischarge chute provided with a runway adapted to deliver cans of theselected character, and mechanism adapted to be actuated by the trip rodwhen projected for displacing said runway to dropcans of a differentcharacter, substantially as described.

CHARLES B. McDONALD.

Witnesses Vanna: Bamvmo, FRANCES M. Faosr.

